It’s been a long, hot summer, and the best time to give your turf a break is this Fall. Core aeration and overseeding is a simple and highly recommended treatment for turf areas, especially those that have struggled in the past.
Core aeration is the first step, which uses hollow metal tines to pull small ‘plugs’ or ‘cores’ of soil and thatch from the turf area. This promotes air, water, and nutrient penetration to the root zone, as well as relieving soil compaction, improving nutrient movement in the soil, and preventing thatch accumulation.
The second step is overseeding, in which grass seed is broadcast over the area. Aeration before overseeding allows for improved soil to seed contact and germination. Overseeding fills in any sparse or bare areas in the turf, and prevents weeds from taking hold in those areas. Fall’s cooler temperatures also help promote germination and reduce the amount of supplemental watering needed - which makes it the best time to give your turf some TLC.
Done together, core aeration and overseeding helps to revitalize turf before it goes dormant for the winter and to get a healthy spring start!
